Ladies and Gentlemen of the Class of 20xx: Wear Sunscreen

Not just because a speech falsely attributed to Kurt Vonnegut told you to, but because I’m telling you to. Also, it’s important.

I know, I know. You hear that all the time. From your mom, your grandma….your mom. Whether you’re catching some rays on the deck or doing cannon balls in the lake, summer is a time when everybody yells “don’t forget sunscreen!” at you a thousand times.  And that’s the thing, we still forget.

But how essential is it really? Well, it turns out, very. Not only does it prevent skin cancer, it keeps you from burning up and looking like the Kool-Aid Man. As the first official week of summer approaches, here are some tips and tricks for sunscreen use that'll keep you & your loved one's skin healthy:

1) Fill up a shot glass

 . . . of SPF 30. Research shows you need one shot glass' worth of sunscreen to cover your body, so before you start lining up the tequila shooters make sure to set one aside and ‘cheers’ to protection against UV-rays.

Lathering up 15 minutes before going outside is recommended; lathering up after you’ve had the tequila shots is not.

2) H2O-proof

Did you know that waterproof sunscreen is effective for up to 40 minutes in the water, and lasts twice as long outside of the water? (Be sure to apply it 20 minutes before going into the water to let it absorb.)

Many brands make sweat-proof products too for those of us who exert a lot of energy outdoors, or are just super nervous and gross all the time.

3) Pucker up

When applying sunscreen we tend to slather it all over our arms, legs, even face - but how often do we forget our lips? Those luscious lips are tender and just as sensitive to the sun as the rest of our skin, so make sure you pick up some SPF lipgloss (with a minimum SPF of 15).

Remember, there’s nothing worse than burnt chapped lips just as you’re about to take a massive bite out of a barbecued hot dog.

Special note on vitamins

Also, note: sunscreen doesn’t block out vitamin D altogether, so don’t worry about the stuff sapping your precious summer sunlight supplement (oooo, try to say that fast five times, I dare ya).

Now stop reading this and get back out there already.

( … DON’T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!)